Tuwai appointed Fiji 7s assistant coach

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Jerry Tuwai is the new assistant coach of the Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s team.

The announcement was made yesterday by the General Manager of High Performance for Fiji Rugby Naca Cawanibuka at the Fiji Rugby Union boardroom.

“It’s an absolute honour for me to take up this role and work again with former captain and team-mate Osea Kolinisau,” Tuwai said.

“We’ll try to bring happy moments back to the sevens team and that championship mentality. I’m really happy and grateful for all the support.”

Tuwai said that he is looking forward to work with Kolinisau.

He said his main goals and expectations while joining the Fiji 7s team for the next two championship tournaments is to lift up the standard of the team’s performance.

“It’s going to be a big year for us, the year before the Olympics and it’s going to be a very big year not just for the boys but for the team as a whole. That includes management and I’m here to support our coach Kolinisau.”

Tuwai said he would share his knowledge to try and mould the team.

“It’s always a dream to coach the sevens team and for a few years now I’ve been going around doing all my credentials and learning a lot, so I can be ready to take up this role.

“As a player and a coach, it’s very different so all I have to do is to translate all my knowledge from my games and share it with the boys.”

Cawanibuka said Tuwai’s appointment was a strategic move for the future of Fiji 7s.

“Jerry Tuwai is not just a great player, he is a great leader, a student of the game and a role model of our future rugby stars in Fiji,” he said.

FRU chief executive Koli Sewabu said Tuwai would be assisting Kolinisau.

“Both of them has a great different voice, different skillsets, different ways of doing things and the two of them working together to help our boys to achieve what is needed to be achieved at the top.

“We’ve seen from past tournaments that they are competing well at that level. I know we’re lacking off in a few areas and that’s where we see the skillsets from Jerry that we can fit in,” Sewabu said.

“Tuwai has been involved around the region as well through Oceania Rugby. He’s been around the region to Tahiti, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and working with world rugby trainers, master trainers from around the region to go and help deliver not only 7s but also 15s programme as well,” he said.